From Hourly to Anywhere

Tuition reimbursement programs are nothing new. Companies have been providing employees with financial support to pursue advanced training and expand their company-relevant skills for decades.

But Amazon, the e-commerce giant that generated $178 billion in revenue last year according to MarketWatch, is taking a different approach. “Most tuition assistance programs target white collar workers and junior managers in pursuit of MBAs,” said Juan Garcia, director of associate career development and head of Amazon’s Career Choice program. “Our program is more peculiar.”

Career Choice is a tuition assistance program launched in 2012 that specifically targets Amazon’s hourly workers. Through the program Amazon prepays 95 percent of the cost of tuition for any employee to pursue courses in any in-demand field – even if that training has zero relevance to the company. Employees, including those who work part time, are eligible to participate after one year of employment, and Amazon will spend up to $3,000 per year for up to four years to help them launch their careers.

Read the full article, including specifics about how Maricopa Corporate College provides training for Amazon's Career Choice programs in Phoenix.